29 January 2016

The best--of-seven Final series between the Alaska Aces and the San Miguel Beermen are turning out to be more controversial as the games reached in sixth game.

The Alaska Aces still led 3-2, but that was not a factor in their Game 5 loss nor was the return of SMB's June Mar Fajardo. The real factor why the Aces failed to close the series twice already after leading 3-0 in the 2016 PBA Philippine Cup Finals seems to be the sixth, seventh and eight men on the floor - the referees.

According to Aces coach Alex Compton, it the "Free throw and foul discrepancy."

In Game 5, the Aces incurred a whopping total of 37 fouls and gave their opponents 35 free throws. On the other hand, the Beermen were called for 17 fouls and gifted the other team with five charities.

Final score in the game was San Miguel 86, Alaska 73.

"I'm just pointing out facts. It's gonna be difficult if a team gets 30 more free throws and 20 more fouls," an uncharacteristically gloomy Compton stated.

He then continued, "Some stats jump off the page in the last two games. We'll see if it’s hopefully gonna change in the next games."

If there is indeed a collaboration and intention to put one over the Aces, there is no better person to do that than the one officiating the games. Was there an instruction from some higher officials, nobody can tell ... for now.

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PBA Advisory

2017 Commissioner's Cup Format

The tournament allows teams to hire foreign players or imports with a height limit of 6-foot-10.

The top 2 teams will earn twice-to-beat edges over Nos. 7 and 8 while the No. 3 against No. 6 and No. 4 versus No. 5 pairing will be a best-of-three affair in the quarterfinals.

The semifinal stage will have a pair of best-of-five matches and the finals will be a race-to-four affair.

Gilas Pilipinas

Manila will host one of the three tournaments in the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The Philippine national men’s basketball team will try to pull off massive upsets against France, New Zealand, Canada, Turkey and Senegal in the competition slated on July 5 to July 10 at Mall of Asia Arena.

A total of 18 teams will participate in the three-nation event whose champions will book tickets to the 2016 Rio Olympics.